Earth Magic
Earth Magic Earth Magic is a subschool of Elemental Magic. As the name implies, it involves the invocation of earth spirits to move and shape earth, mud, and stone in accordance with the wishes of the caster. Beginner Earth Mages tend to cover making earth and stone into small, basic shapes, but as they advance in power, they learn how to create more complex and beautiful creations - and how to move the land and stone around them with dangerous speed and accuracy. Of all the subschools of Elemental Magic, Earth Magic is the most widely used (if not the flashiest of magics) due to the ability to quarry, shape, and repair stone more quickly and easily than someone chiseling it might. Earth Mages are also highly prized as expensive-but-effective security - thieves can't pick the lock on your estate's door if the only way in or out appears at the behest of your magical doorman. 'Earth Magic Mechanics' The Earth Magic advantage costs 4 AP per rank, and is a Mid Utility advantage that is also useable in Short and Mid-Range Combat. Rank I: A mage with one rank of Earth Magic has learned the basics of calling upon the spirits of Earth and Stone. Of all the elements, though, earth is the heaviest and slowest, and many Earth Mages prefer to take their talents to more constructive pursuits such as pottery and renovation than to the field of battle. Despite the difficulty involved in moving and reshaping stone, the general value of a good Earth Mage, even as a beginner, cannot be understated. Rank II: A mage with two ranks of Earth Magic can be considered a professional Earth Mage, capable of reshaping the land and buildings in the area to their own tastes. While the stone under consideration still becomes harder to move the farther away it is, many Earth Mages demonstrate the ability to warp rocks and dirt at a surprising distance. More importantly, such casters can now move rock fast enough to fling it at opponents and improvise lethal traps on the spot. Stone barriers and earthworks rarely provide an obstacle to such casters anymore. Rank III: A mage with three ranks of Earth Magic treats the things other people see as solid and immutable as an extension of their will. Few structures can stand up to an unopposed Earth Mage of this level of ability for long, and anyone seeking to cause such a mage grief had best have a non-land-based method of getting around or be exceptionally quick on their feet. Rank IV: A mage with four ranks of Earth Magic has now truly mastered the forces of Elemental Earth. Such a caster has elevated the discipline to an art form, and the whole world is their canvas, beautiful in some places and lethal in others. Casters with this level of ability in the discipline see the existing landscape more as a passing fad that could change before dinner than anything remotely permanent. Such a mage really can cause an enemy to have to walk to and from a location, uphill, both ways. Rank V+: A mage with five or more ranks of Earth Magic almost certainly either has used principles gleaned from other elemental disciplines to reach this point or else has spiritual assistance from an outside source, such as godhood. Such a mage could easily be considered a localized national treasure or an entire unit of Siege weaponry, likely capable of demolishing even the greatest of fortifications in short order. Such a mage would be welcomed for their utility nearly everywhere they go. 'Common Earth Magic Spells' While every Earth Mage has his or her own style and probably a few custom spells (and of course Elemental Mages tend to make up spells on the spot), the following are all common-use variants on spells for earth manipulation and are available to anyone with the Earth Magic advantage. *Shape Earth and Stone - The very first thing any Earth Mage learns to do; all other invocations are based on this technique, which allows the mage to reshape the earth and stone nearby. Touching the earth or stone in question is not required, but it helps. *Launch - The basic Earth Mage offensive technique. Stone is shifted so rapidly as to be able to leave the ground (or wall) and fling itself at a target. *Dig - A refinement of the Shape spell, Dig rapidly creates holes and pits, though without the subtle grace of shaping a way through them. *Dust Storm - An Earth Mage's best friend when being shot at, this spell blasts up a layer of dust from all of the earth and stone surfaces nearby, obscuring vision. *Porcupine Rock - Another Earth Mage combat maneuver, a previously smooth or innocuous patch of dirt or stone suddenly and violently shifts into a sharp, spiky form. *Stonewall/Column - The opposite of Dig, this pulls up earth or stone rapidly into a large and sturdy column or wall of stone, although whether for combat or construction purposes is unknown. *Etch - A simple spell for writing neatly in hard earthen surfaces. *Smooth - A utility spell for covering tracks or making hard travel easier. 'Rare Earth Magic Spells' The following spells are sometimes known to Earth Mages, but are not included by default and require a separate advantage. *Golem - A roughly man-shaped puppet of rock or dirt moves at the caster's will. *Crystalize/Purify - A spell, partly based on some core Fire Magic principles, to put enough arcane pressure on stone or ores to convert them into precious metals or gemstones. The process is time consuming, but some mages make a living this way. *Sapper - A specialized combat spell, this oddball invocation acts as a Rare Resistance versus any Locus that is constructed of or on earth or stone. *Earthquake - A powerful or specialized Earth Magic spell, this invocation reaches out to the ground for the entire range the caster is capable of reaching, rocking it - sometimes with devastating results. *Turn Earth to Mud (And Back) - While any Earth Mage can convert rocks to dirt and back through the Shape spell, turning Earth into the even softer and looser Mud or Quicksand requires some study of Water Magic and some creative thinking.